Corrado Rubino - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Corrado Rubino
The reconstruction of lower third of the leg is one of the most challenging problems for plastic ... more The reconstruction of lower third of the leg is one of the most challenging problems for plastic and reconstructive surgeons and current approaches are still disappointing. We show an easy option to obtain a coverage of traumatic pretibial defects with good aesthetic and functional results: the association of negative pressure wound therapy, acellular dermal matrix, and skin graft. The choice of this combined therapy avoids other surgical procedures such as local perforator flaps and free flaps that require more operating time, special equipment, and adequate training.
Annals of plastic surgery, Jan 31, 2017
Placement of suction drainage in submuscular pockets is routinely performed in breast reconstruct... more Placement of suction drainage in submuscular pockets is routinely performed in breast reconstruction. Days of drain permanence (DDP) are associated with hospital stay and related health care costs. The aims of this study are to retrospectively compare data related to DDP and total drainage volume between high and low vacuum suction drainage groups and to identify correlations with patient or surgery-related factors. We retrospectively analyzed data of 100 patients undergoing immediate or delayed breast reconstruction with expanders and implants. We considered 2 groups depending on suction pressure applied by 2 different surgical teams: group A (number, 50 patients) with high vacuum suction and group B (number, 50 patients) with low vacuum suction. Days of drain permanence was not significantly different between group A and group B (P = 0.451). The same was found for total drainage volume (P = 0.183). The distribution of DDP was statistically different only between patients with or w...
Cell Death Discovery, 2016
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2014
The adipofascial flap, introduced by Lin in 1994, has many advantages compared to fasciocutaneous... more The adipofascial flap, introduced by Lin in 1994, has many advantages compared to fasciocutaneous or free flaps. Its dissection is relatively easy and fast with low donor-site morbidity, and it does not alter the shape of the leg. The aim of this dissection study is to evaluate the anatomic localization of the most distal perforator of the posterior tibial vessels to provide an anatomical rationale for the safe harvesting of distally based medial adipofascial flaps of the leg. 30 Lower limbs from 15 cadavers were used for this study. The most distal perforator from posterior tibial perforator artery, accompanied by at least one vein, was identified and its distance from the medial malleolus was noted. A distal perforator was found in all specimens; the mean caliber was 0.77 mm. In all cases, the perforator artery passed in the septum between flexor hallucis longus m. and flexor digitorum longus m. and was accompanied by two veins. In our series, the distance between the lowest perforator and the medial malleolus ranged from 3.5 to 8.2 cm. The median was 6.75 cm, the 5th percentile 4 cm and the 95th percentile 8.1 cm. The mean distance of the perforator from the medial tibial border was 1.23 cm. The mean ratio between the distance of perforator from the medial malleolus and the total leg length was 21%. Compared to all previous researches, our study has found more distal perforators from posterior tibial perforator artery. This fact may have important clinical consequences, because the anteromedial adipofascial flap would cover more distal soft tissue defects. Moreover, our data suggest some safety parameters to make the rising of a medial adipofascial leg flap safer in surgical practice.
Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 2008
Secondary shaping of the transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap is a routine treatm... more Secondary shaping of the transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap is a routine treatment, and includes liposuction, skin excision, inframammary fold replacement, dermal fat grafts or lipofilling. Major flap revision may include an augmentation procedure with implants or expanders. We present an inferior pedicle breast reduction in a woman who underwent breast reconstruction using a free TRAM flap. To our knowledge, there are no reports about reduction mammaplasty or mastopexy in Free TRAM flap breast reconstruction. Reduction mammaplasty should be regarded as a valuable option in free TRAM or deep inferior epigastric perforator secondary reshaping.
Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 2013
Burns, 2010
Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are severe adverse drug react... more Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are severe adverse drug reactions, characterized by a low incidence but high mortality, initially described as separate entities, but today considered variants of the same pathologic process and differing only for severity. The majority of cases appear to be related to idiosyncratic drug reactions. The drugs most commonly involved are: antibiotics such as sulfonamides, beta-lactam, tetracyclines and quinolones; anticonvulsants such as phenytoin, phenobarbital and carbamazapine; antiretroviral drugs; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, allopurinol. There is common agreement to consider TEN as the manifestation of a disregulated immune reaction against epithelial cells. During the first stages of TEN, apoptosis mediates keratinocyte death and the pivotal role of Fas-FasL pathway activation during TEN is undoubted. T cell cytotoxicity, demonstrated during TEN, has been shown to be mediated by the perforin-granzyme pathway. It seems, also, clear that a peculiar cytokine pattern plays an important role in TEN pathogenesis. The cutaneous findings result in an acute macular erythematous rash with bullae. These lesions rapidly exhibit Nikolsky's sign and a separation of large sheets of epidermis from the dermis and a subsequent localised shedding develops rapidly, which can become very extensive. When feasible, admission in burn or intensive care unit, positioning the patients in air-fluidised beds, is universally considered crucial in TEN treatment. The prompt withdrawal of the suspected drug, fluid and electrolyte replacement and topical wound care are the first line of therapy. The use of corticosteroids has been abandoned and the role of immunosuppressants, despite some success, is not well defined and is not considered as a standard. A trial comparing thalidomide versus placebo in TEN patients was suspended because mortality rate increased in the treated group. Infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody to TNF-alpha, has been administered to a patient, in single infusion, with a favourable outcome. Plasmapheresis is reported to lead to some success in TEN treatment, with improvement of clinical conditions and high percentage of survival. Different authors reported good results in terms of decreasing mortality and morbidity or improving clinical conditions of the use of human intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs). Regardless, the true utility of this treatment remains controversial. In 2005, the authors (ML and RC), dealing with a number of severe TEN cases, proposed a new protocol based on the combination of these last two techniques reporting their preliminary results in the treatment of severe TEN patients.
Annals of Plastic Surgery, 2001
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2013
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2013
Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 2013
Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology, 2012
Introduction: The development of autologous tissue transfer techniques in plastic surgery has enc... more Introduction: The development of autologous tissue transfer techniques in plastic surgery has encouraged the research into cutaneous vascularization. This has resulted in the revival of interest in ancient techniques and in the development of new and more effective techniques. Riolano was the first to carry out studies of vascular injection [1]. Various substances have been used to fill blood vessels to facilitate dissection. The discovery of X rays revolutionized the field of vascular anatomy [2]. Barium sulfate was soon replaced by lead oxide as the standard contrast agent for injection studies. However, the toxicity of lead oxide limits the application of these techniques and exposes the operator to risks and raises the issue of its disposal. [3]. Two-dimensional contrast radiography has been the standard for investigating the vascular anatomy of surgical flaps. Today, new imaging techniques are available. Static CT angiography enables to evaluate vascular anatomy in 3D and high detail. The aim of this study is to propose a new contrast formula to visualize the vessels in TC 3D studies [4]. Materials and methods: A new contrast agent for CT injection studies has been developed. First the substance must be evaluated with standard radiography to confirm the X-ray blocking properties. Then, various anatomical, human and animal, specimens have been injected, and subjected to CT scan. The data have been processed with Osirix software for 3D reconstruction. Results: the radiopacity was confirmed. CT scan 3D reconstruction showed a good level of detail. Conclusion: our new formula appears to be effective. The radiopacity of the medium can be adapted to tissue characteristics. Our formula allows an easier dissection and a detailed reconstruction of the vessels. Moreover the final polymer is non-toxic.
Annali Italiani Di Chirurgia, 2006
Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 2008
The deep inferior epigastric perforator flap is rapidly becoming a more widely employed method of... more The deep inferior epigastric perforator flap is rapidly becoming a more widely employed method of autologous breast reconstruction. The technical considerations involved in the execution of the flap are many and include the selection of perforators to be incorporated in the flap. We attempt to give a mathematical explanation, based on the physics of flow through vessels and the properties of circuits with multiple resistances in parallel, for the clinical observations which have been arrived at through clinical experience. We compare the system of perforators to a circuit with multiple resistances in parallel. Each of these resistances represents a perforator vessel. In the event that there is only one perforator vessel, this simplifies to a single resistance in series with the capillary bed perfusing the flap. The flow through the flap is optimized by incorporation of the largest diameter perforator. Inclusion of other smaller perforators in addition to the largest diameter perforator will reduce the overall resistance, but this reduction in resistance is dependent on the diameter of the additional perforator and may not be worth the additional trauma of dissection and increased operative time. Incorporating several smaller perforators at the expense of excluding the largest diameter perforator appears to increase the overall resistance, unless the smaller perforators are only slightly smaller. We conclude that the best perfused flap involves use of the largest diameter vessel, that although adding additional perforators will decrease the resistance and increase flow, the magnitude of the benefit depends largely on the calibre of the additional perforator, and that this benefit needs to be weighed against the downside of increased muscle and facial trauma.
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg, 2008
The deep inferior epigastric perforator flap is rapidly becoming a more widely employed method of... more The deep inferior epigastric perforator flap is rapidly becoming a more widely employed method of autologous breast reconstruction. The technical considerations involved in the execution of the flap are many and include the selection of perforators to be incorporated in the flap. We attempt to give a mathematical explanation, based on the physics of flow through vessels and the properties of circuits with multiple resistances in parallel, for the clinical observations which have been arrived at through clinical experience. We compare the system of perforators to a circuit with multiple resistances in parallel. Each of these resistances represents a perforator vessel. In the event that there is only one perforator vessel, this simplifies to a single resistance in series with the capillary bed perfusing the flap. The flow through the flap is optimized by incorporation of the largest diameter perforator. Inclusion of other smaller perforators in addition to the largest diameter perforator will reduce the overall resistance, but this reduction in resistance is dependent on the diameter of the additional perforator and may not be worth the additional trauma of dissection and increased operative time. Incorporating several smaller perforators at the expense of excluding the largest diameter perforator appears to increase the overall resistance, unless the smaller perforators are only slightly smaller. We conclude that the best perfused flap involves use of the largest diameter vessel, that although adding additional perforators will decrease the resistance and increase flow, the magnitude of the benefit depends largely on the calibre of the additional perforator, and that this benefit needs to be weighed against the downside of increased muscle and facial trauma.
The reconstruction of lower third of the leg is one of the most challenging problems for plastic ... more The reconstruction of lower third of the leg is one of the most challenging problems for plastic and reconstructive surgeons and current approaches are still disappointing. We show an easy option to obtain a coverage of traumatic pretibial defects with good aesthetic and functional results: the association of negative pressure wound therapy, acellular dermal matrix, and skin graft. The choice of this combined therapy avoids other surgical procedures such as local perforator flaps and free flaps that require more operating time, special equipment, and adequate training.
Annals of plastic surgery, Jan 31, 2017
Placement of suction drainage in submuscular pockets is routinely performed in breast reconstruct... more Placement of suction drainage in submuscular pockets is routinely performed in breast reconstruction. Days of drain permanence (DDP) are associated with hospital stay and related health care costs. The aims of this study are to retrospectively compare data related to DDP and total drainage volume between high and low vacuum suction drainage groups and to identify correlations with patient or surgery-related factors. We retrospectively analyzed data of 100 patients undergoing immediate or delayed breast reconstruction with expanders and implants. We considered 2 groups depending on suction pressure applied by 2 different surgical teams: group A (number, 50 patients) with high vacuum suction and group B (number, 50 patients) with low vacuum suction. Days of drain permanence was not significantly different between group A and group B (P = 0.451). The same was found for total drainage volume (P = 0.183). The distribution of DDP was statistically different only between patients with or w...
Cell Death Discovery, 2016
Surgical and Radiologic Anatomy, 2014
The adipofascial flap, introduced by Lin in 1994, has many advantages compared to fasciocutaneous... more The adipofascial flap, introduced by Lin in 1994, has many advantages compared to fasciocutaneous or free flaps. Its dissection is relatively easy and fast with low donor-site morbidity, and it does not alter the shape of the leg. The aim of this dissection study is to evaluate the anatomic localization of the most distal perforator of the posterior tibial vessels to provide an anatomical rationale for the safe harvesting of distally based medial adipofascial flaps of the leg. 30 Lower limbs from 15 cadavers were used for this study. The most distal perforator from posterior tibial perforator artery, accompanied by at least one vein, was identified and its distance from the medial malleolus was noted. A distal perforator was found in all specimens; the mean caliber was 0.77 mm. In all cases, the perforator artery passed in the septum between flexor hallucis longus m. and flexor digitorum longus m. and was accompanied by two veins. In our series, the distance between the lowest perforator and the medial malleolus ranged from 3.5 to 8.2 cm. The median was 6.75 cm, the 5th percentile 4 cm and the 95th percentile 8.1 cm. The mean distance of the perforator from the medial tibial border was 1.23 cm. The mean ratio between the distance of perforator from the medial malleolus and the total leg length was 21%. Compared to all previous researches, our study has found more distal perforators from posterior tibial perforator artery. This fact may have important clinical consequences, because the anteromedial adipofascial flap would cover more distal soft tissue defects. Moreover, our data suggest some safety parameters to make the rising of a medial adipofascial leg flap safer in surgical practice.
Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 2008
Secondary shaping of the transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap is a routine treatm... more Secondary shaping of the transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap is a routine treatment, and includes liposuction, skin excision, inframammary fold replacement, dermal fat grafts or lipofilling. Major flap revision may include an augmentation procedure with implants or expanders. We present an inferior pedicle breast reduction in a woman who underwent breast reconstruction using a free TRAM flap. To our knowledge, there are no reports about reduction mammaplasty or mastopexy in Free TRAM flap breast reconstruction. Reduction mammaplasty should be regarded as a valuable option in free TRAM or deep inferior epigastric perforator secondary reshaping.
Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 2013
Burns, 2010
Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are severe adverse drug react... more Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN) are severe adverse drug reactions, characterized by a low incidence but high mortality, initially described as separate entities, but today considered variants of the same pathologic process and differing only for severity. The majority of cases appear to be related to idiosyncratic drug reactions. The drugs most commonly involved are: antibiotics such as sulfonamides, beta-lactam, tetracyclines and quinolones; anticonvulsants such as phenytoin, phenobarbital and carbamazapine; antiretroviral drugs; nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, allopurinol. There is common agreement to consider TEN as the manifestation of a disregulated immune reaction against epithelial cells. During the first stages of TEN, apoptosis mediates keratinocyte death and the pivotal role of Fas-FasL pathway activation during TEN is undoubted. T cell cytotoxicity, demonstrated during TEN, has been shown to be mediated by the perforin-granzyme pathway. It seems, also, clear that a peculiar cytokine pattern plays an important role in TEN pathogenesis. The cutaneous findings result in an acute macular erythematous rash with bullae. These lesions rapidly exhibit Nikolsky's sign and a separation of large sheets of epidermis from the dermis and a subsequent localised shedding develops rapidly, which can become very extensive. When feasible, admission in burn or intensive care unit, positioning the patients in air-fluidised beds, is universally considered crucial in TEN treatment. The prompt withdrawal of the suspected drug, fluid and electrolyte replacement and topical wound care are the first line of therapy. The use of corticosteroids has been abandoned and the role of immunosuppressants, despite some success, is not well defined and is not considered as a standard. A trial comparing thalidomide versus placebo in TEN patients was suspended because mortality rate increased in the treated group. Infliximab, a chimeric monoclonal antibody to TNF-alpha, has been administered to a patient, in single infusion, with a favourable outcome. Plasmapheresis is reported to lead to some success in TEN treatment, with improvement of clinical conditions and high percentage of survival. Different authors reported good results in terms of decreasing mortality and morbidity or improving clinical conditions of the use of human intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIGs). Regardless, the true utility of this treatment remains controversial. In 2005, the authors (ML and RC), dealing with a number of severe TEN cases, proposed a new protocol based on the combination of these last two techniques reporting their preliminary results in the treatment of severe TEN patients.
Annals of Plastic Surgery, 2001
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2013
Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 2013
Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 2013
Italian Journal of Anatomy and Embryology, 2012
Introduction: The development of autologous tissue transfer techniques in plastic surgery has enc... more Introduction: The development of autologous tissue transfer techniques in plastic surgery has encouraged the research into cutaneous vascularization. This has resulted in the revival of interest in ancient techniques and in the development of new and more effective techniques. Riolano was the first to carry out studies of vascular injection [1]. Various substances have been used to fill blood vessels to facilitate dissection. The discovery of X rays revolutionized the field of vascular anatomy [2]. Barium sulfate was soon replaced by lead oxide as the standard contrast agent for injection studies. However, the toxicity of lead oxide limits the application of these techniques and exposes the operator to risks and raises the issue of its disposal. [3]. Two-dimensional contrast radiography has been the standard for investigating the vascular anatomy of surgical flaps. Today, new imaging techniques are available. Static CT angiography enables to evaluate vascular anatomy in 3D and high detail. The aim of this study is to propose a new contrast formula to visualize the vessels in TC 3D studies [4]. Materials and methods: A new contrast agent for CT injection studies has been developed. First the substance must be evaluated with standard radiography to confirm the X-ray blocking properties. Then, various anatomical, human and animal, specimens have been injected, and subjected to CT scan. The data have been processed with Osirix software for 3D reconstruction. Results: the radiopacity was confirmed. CT scan 3D reconstruction showed a good level of detail. Conclusion: our new formula appears to be effective. The radiopacity of the medium can be adapted to tissue characteristics. Our formula allows an easier dissection and a detailed reconstruction of the vessels. Moreover the final polymer is non-toxic.
Annali Italiani Di Chirurgia, 2006
Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery, 2008
The deep inferior epigastric perforator flap is rapidly becoming a more widely employed method of... more The deep inferior epigastric perforator flap is rapidly becoming a more widely employed method of autologous breast reconstruction. The technical considerations involved in the execution of the flap are many and include the selection of perforators to be incorporated in the flap. We attempt to give a mathematical explanation, based on the physics of flow through vessels and the properties of circuits with multiple resistances in parallel, for the clinical observations which have been arrived at through clinical experience. We compare the system of perforators to a circuit with multiple resistances in parallel. Each of these resistances represents a perforator vessel. In the event that there is only one perforator vessel, this simplifies to a single resistance in series with the capillary bed perfusing the flap. The flow through the flap is optimized by incorporation of the largest diameter perforator. Inclusion of other smaller perforators in addition to the largest diameter perforator will reduce the overall resistance, but this reduction in resistance is dependent on the diameter of the additional perforator and may not be worth the additional trauma of dissection and increased operative time. Incorporating several smaller perforators at the expense of excluding the largest diameter perforator appears to increase the overall resistance, unless the smaller perforators are only slightly smaller. We conclude that the best perfused flap involves use of the largest diameter vessel, that although adding additional perforators will decrease the resistance and increase flow, the magnitude of the benefit depends largely on the calibre of the additional perforator, and that this benefit needs to be weighed against the downside of increased muscle and facial trauma.
J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg, 2008
The deep inferior epigastric perforator flap is rapidly becoming a more widely employed method of... more The deep inferior epigastric perforator flap is rapidly becoming a more widely employed method of autologous breast reconstruction. The technical considerations involved in the execution of the flap are many and include the selection of perforators to be incorporated in the flap. We attempt to give a mathematical explanation, based on the physics of flow through vessels and the properties of circuits with multiple resistances in parallel, for the clinical observations which have been arrived at through clinical experience. We compare the system of perforators to a circuit with multiple resistances in parallel. Each of these resistances represents a perforator vessel. In the event that there is only one perforator vessel, this simplifies to a single resistance in series with the capillary bed perfusing the flap. The flow through the flap is optimized by incorporation of the largest diameter perforator. Inclusion of other smaller perforators in addition to the largest diameter perforator will reduce the overall resistance, but this reduction in resistance is dependent on the diameter of the additional perforator and may not be worth the additional trauma of dissection and increased operative time. Incorporating several smaller perforators at the expense of excluding the largest diameter perforator appears to increase the overall resistance, unless the smaller perforators are only slightly smaller. We conclude that the best perfused flap involves use of the largest diameter vessel, that although adding additional perforators will decrease the resistance and increase flow, the magnitude of the benefit depends largely on the calibre of the additional perforator, and that this benefit needs to be weighed against the downside of increased muscle and facial trauma.